20th century

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The 20th century was a turning point in the history of Earth. The population explosion following World War II caused an increase in the crime wave. To counterbalance this, many humans took up vigilantism or used scientific advancements to fight crime. By the end of the century, mankind had begun working on splicing the genome, gaining advances in nanotechnology, and had sent small ships out to Alpha Centauri. Earth had just begun contact with the galactic community.

Mid 1970s

Late 1970s

Bruce Wayne travels abroad to learn to be a crime-fighter. He begins by studying to be a detective, and he also studies science under Nobel laureates. (BTAS: Night of the Ninja)

1980s

Early 1980s

Bruce Wayne spends a month under magician Zatara's tutelage. While there, he learns escape artistry, and he develops an attraction to Zatara's daughter Zatanna. He goes by the name John Smith. (BTAS: Zatanna)

Mid 1980s

1986

After many years abroad, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City. While attending college, he meets and gets engaged to Andrea Beaumont, daughter of Carl Beaumont. When Carl's mobster connections force them to move, Andrea breaks her engagement to Bruce. Around the same time, Bruce, still haunted by his parents' deaths, begins crime-fighting. At first, he attempts to do it dressed in common clothes, but then realizes that he must strike fear into the heart of his enemies and dons cape and cowl to become Batman. (Batman: Mask of the Phantasm)